Adoption of a new transportation system is now promoted in narrow areas such as an airport and an exhibition site. Unlike Shinkansen bullet train as wide area transportation technology, the new transportation system is not required to transport in high speed and to carry out mass transportation, but is required not to need a large-scaled rail facility. As a vehicle, which needs no rail facilities, a rubber tire type vehicle such as an automobile and a bus is known in Japanese Patent Laid Open Application (JP-P2002-310651A). The rubber tire type vehicle has a great degree of freedom on a running direction, and is not suitable for a vehicle in an airport. As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid Open application (JP-P2002-19603A), it is required to the new transportation system that a running route can be readily defined. Various techniques are known for a technology of a simple guide rail. Such guide rail requires a certain degree of strength for the safety operation. Securing the strength hinders desired reduction in facilities cost.
In order to abolish a mechanical guide rail, it is proposed to arrange a road surface side information belt having 1-dimensional coordinate data on a defined route. Such road surface side information belt is written with an operation data. The operation data includes a 1-dimensional coordinate data set on the running route. In this case, a table is necessary to indicate a corresponding relationship between the 1-dimensional coordinate data and an operation control data such as a steering angle, a velocity, and an acceleration. If the table value is fixed, it become difficult to carry out a control corresponding to a run situation that changes from moment to moment. Therefore, conventionally, a rapid velocity change resulted from a rapid change in a steering angle (for example, acceleration in a direction perpendicular to a rail direction) is caused, thereby, leading to aggravation of degree of comfort.
Establishment of the technology of a steering system is required that is free from mechanical steering portion that mechanically contacts a guide rail, and precisely follows a defined run route. It is important not to abolish a safety rail to secure safety; however, simplification of the safety rail is desired. Comfort during an automated operation is also required.